The present invention relates to an ocean thermal power plant and, more particularly, to a modularly constructed ocean thermal power plant.
It has become apparent in recent years that sources of energy other than petroleum and coal must be utilized for supplying some of the energy needs of mankind. There are many alternate forms of energy, however, the problem lies in economically and efficiently converting this energy into a workable source of power.
While solar energy is one of the most abundantly and readily available sources of energy for the earth, it has many limitations as a result of the means and methods of converting it into a usable power supply. First, it has to be collected which generally requires construction of collectors for absorbing the energy. The collectors are used for heating fluids and/or air that are generally utilized as sources of heat for heating homes and water.
The largest natural collector of solar energy on the earth are the oceans and large bodies of water. These bodies of water are heated up by the sun and, as a result, the surface water is much warmer than water at deeper depths. Several proposals have been presented for utilizing the difference in temperature of the surface sea water and the temperature at greater depths for operating power plants. One such power plant is disclosed in the March, 1976, National Geographic magazine, Volume 149, No. 3. On page 388, of this magazine there is disclosed a power plant which utilizes evaporators, turbine generators and condensers. The warm sun heated surface water which is about 80.degree. F. flows through an evaporator to boil propane or ammonia into vapor which is piped to the turbines. This gas is used for driving the turbine generators for generating electricity. After driving the turbine generators to produce electricity, the vapor is condensed by cold water back into a liquid and recycled. The power plant extends approximately 1500 feet below the surface wherein the water is approximately 40.degree. F. This cold water is pumped through a telescoping pipe to the condenser and then discharged. Electricity generated by the power plant is fed by cables to adjacent land. Other sea water power plants are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,312,054, 3,896,622, 3,805,515 and 3,953,971.